I have a week off after Easter and other plans fell through. I'm looking for somewhere reasonably affordable to cheap to go for 3-5 days. Flying out of Orlando. I enjoy the outdoors, hiking, national parks, mountains, breweries etc. I don't mind staying in hostels or dives or even tent camping - no frills, no fear.

quote:Fly to Chicago and take the Amtrak to Seattle with a stop in glacier np

The empire builder is a great ride but April and May are too early for Glacier unless you enjoy icy conditions and overcast skies. We’ve had some beautiful weather the past couple weeks but the GTTS road won’t be open and the businesses in west glacier don’t open up til Memorial Day weekend.

How about flying into Denver? Spend a night in the city to unwind after the flight then head to the nearby mountains for 2-3 days, check out local breweries etc. Personally, I really enjoy Idaho Springs/Georgetown area. Flights to DEN shouldn't be too bad that time of year - probably $250 or so.

Fly into Nashville (cheap airfare city) and check out the food, breweries, and country music stuff...then drive a couple of hours to the Great Smokey Mountains National park to hike and camp (or get a cabin).

Sounds like you want to do wilderness, but still want hang around civilization. My suggestion:

Fly into Portland. Go to the Cannon Beach on the coast via Hwy 26 and drive south. Camp out in the Siuslaw national Forest. Drive to Florence and head east on Hwy 126. Pass thru Eugene and do not stop. Head to Bend and spend a few days. Camping can be found in the Deschutes National Forest, LaPine State Park, and various places in and around Bend/Sisters. Visit Smith Rock and Cove Palisades. Go white water rafting - or if on the cheap, just rent an inner tube and float the Deschutes River right through downtown Bend.

After a few days of R&R in Bend, take Hwy 97 north and head to Hood River. If you like to windsurf, or would just like to try, that's the place to go. More hiking available in that area around Mt Hood and across the river in Washington. From there, you are only and hour away from Portland.

The scenery is gorgeous as you go from the Willamette valley to the coast, to the high plains, and down the Columbia River Gorge.

Breweries are everywhere. Great Notion, Breakside, Modern Times, Hair of the Dog, Ruse, WayFinder, Culmination, etc, in Portland. On the coast you have Ft George, Pelican, De Garde, Yachats, Rogue, etc. If you do find yourself stopped in Eugene, you have Claim 52 and Ale Song. Bend has 20+ breweries, despite being about the size of Monroe. The original Deschutes Brewpub is there, along with Boneyard, 10 Barrel, Ale Apothecary, GoodLife, Sunriver, and a bunch of others. In Hood River, you have pFriem, Ferment, Double Moutain, Logsdon, and Full Sail.